BTS performing in front of Geunjeongjeon Hall at Gyeongbokgung Palace in 2020 (Photo courtesy of BigHit Music)
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s most influential pop exports are returning to the spotlight this spring, not only with new music but with a sweeping embrace of the country’s cultural landmarks.
BTS will stage their long-awaited comeback performance on March 21 at Gwanghwamun Square, following an opening sequence that begins inside Gyeongbokgung Palace and traces the historic “King’s Road” toward the heart of Seoul.
Blackpink, meanwhile, will collaborate with the National Museum of Korea on a large-scale cultural project tied to the release of their new mini album, Deadline, turning the museum façade pink and lending their voices to audio guides for national treasures.
Together, the two acts are transforming royal palaces and museum halls into platforms for global cultural diplomacy.
A performance photo of the girl group Blackpink (Photo courtesy of YG Entertainment)
BTS, returning with their fifth full-length album Arirang, selected Gwanghwamun — often described as the symbolic center of the nation — for their first live performance.
The group is considering an opening procession from within Gyeongbokgung Palace through its gates and ceremonial grounds before arriving at a main stage at the northern end of the square. It remains under discussion whether the sequence will be performed live or pre-recorded.
Their agency, BigHit Music, said the location was chosen in part for the symbolic resonance of the title Arirang, a folk song widely regarded as an unofficial national anthem.
The concert, expected to draw as many as 260,000 spectators to central Seoul, will also be livestreamed on Netflix to viewers in more than 190 countries. The broadcast will pair BTS’s performance with sweeping views of the palace and surrounding historic district, projecting Korea’s architectural heritage onto a global screen.
The group previously performed “Idol” and “Mikrokosmos” at Gyeongbokgung in 2020, a moment many fans still recall. Even weeks ahead of the event, international fans have taken to social media to share images of the palace grounds in anticipation.
Blackpink’s collaboration with the National Museum of Korea marks the first large-scale official partnership between the institution and a K-pop act. From Feb. 26 to March 8, the group will participate in a special project celebrating their album release.
The museum’s exterior will be illuminated in the group’s signature pink, and members will serve as audio docents for eight representative artifacts, offering commentary in their own voices.
A listening session previewing the new album will also be held in the museum’s main lobby, near the Gwanggaeto Stele replica — an unusual fusion of pop music and ancient history.
Cultural observers say the collaborations underscore a shift in how Korea presents its heritage abroad.
“Commercial impact will be significant,” said pop culture critic Jung Deok-hyun, “but the greater effect may be how naturally these artists introduce traditional culture to global audiences. When heritage is packaged as promotion, it can feel forced. But when it is woven into something fans already love, the influence is powerful.”
As K-pop continues to shape Korea’s global identity, royal palaces and national museums are becoming more than historic relics. They are emerging as living stages in the expanding story of K-culture — a blend of tradition and modern spectacle broadcast to the world.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
